Air-coupling.



F. WOODS.

AIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION man uEc.l2,1e14.

Patented July 4, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Snom/doi F. WOODS.

AIR COUPLING.

.APPLICATION FILED DEC. I2. I9I4.

1 ,1 90,063 Patented July 4, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ns ca. Hra-1.1mm., wAsmNmuN. D. cA

F. WOGDS.

AIR COUPLING. APPLICATION FILED DEC. l2. 1914.

` 1 ,1 90,063. Patented July 4, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

F. WOODS.

AIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I2. I9I4.

,1,1 90,063. Patented July 4, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

FREADS WOODS, OF STEWART, ALABAMA.

AIR-COUPLING.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application led December 12, 1914. Serial No. 876,823.

To @Zlio/1,0m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, FREADs WooDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stewart, in the county of Hale and State of Alabama, have invented a new and useful Air-Coupling; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved air coupling mechanism, and means for operating the same from the top or roof of a box car. v

As one of the objects of the invention, it is the aim to provide a simple, efficient and practical device of this nature comprising improved features of construction.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations, falling within the scope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts, as hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings z-Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing portions of adj acent ends of two box cars, with the improved air coupling mechanism and means for operating the same applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one end of one of the box cars with the mechanism applied. Fig'. 3 is an end view of the car showing the mechanism applied. Fig. 4f is a horizontal sectional view through the air couplingr mechanism. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one pair of air couplers showing them separated. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the latch mechanism for holding the rod 35 in its raised position. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of two pairs of air couplers, showing them separated, and the means for operating the valves which control the air pressure from one train pipe to the other. Fig. 8 is a view in side elevation of two box carsvshowing the air coupling .mechanism as applied, and the means for operating the same. A

I'eferring more especiallyT to the drawings, 1 designates a box car, and 2 the usualV draw bar provided with a Lconventional form of car coupler, which draw bar is mounted in the usual manner, so as to permit of the necessaryT swinging motion as two cars take a curve, and also mounted in any conventional way, so as to absorb the shock as two cars are coupled. -The air train pipe 5 is provided with a connection, immediately below where the draw bar is allowed to swing, said connection being designated by the numeral 6. A portion of the train pipe 5 is constructed in two parts 7 and 8 having telescoping connections, to allow a longitudinal movement of one section as two cars are coupled. The movable part 8 is connected by the bar 9 to the draw bar, so the two will move together as the two lcars are coupled. The section 8 of said air train pipe is provided with a reduced pipe extension 12, to enter a socket 13of the section 8 of a train pipe of an adjacent car, there being a beveled shoulder 14 having a packing 15 to be engaged by the end 15a of a section 8 of said adjacent car, thereby providing an air tight joint between the sections 8 of said pipe.

A U-shaped member 16, the forks 17 of which are hollow, is provided with a sleeve portion 18 fitting the section 8 of one of the cars. Upon the interiors of the forks 17 are protrusions 19. On the section 8 of the train pipe of an adjacent car is fitted the sleeve portion 20 0f a U-shaped member 2l, the arms or forks 22 of which are provided with spring members 28 having bulges 24 to engage the protrusions upon the interiors of the hollow forks 17, that is, when the arms or forks 22 are received within the forks 17, thereby locking the air train pipes of two box cars together, so as to render the joint between the. sections 8 secure.

A U-shaped member 25A has its sleeve portion 26 iitting the section 8 of the air train pipe of one'of the cars. A similar U-shaped member `27 has its sleeve 28iitting the section 8 of the air train pipe of the other car.V

The forks Y29 of the U-shaped member 25, and the forks 8() of the U-shaped member 27 have socket .connections 31, to reinforce the connecting joints in the train pipe.

The section 8 of the train pipe of'each car is providedV with a valve 32, the operating handle 33 of which has connected to it a spring 34C, which normally holds the valve closed.

Mounted vertically in bearings upon the end of one car is a vertical rod 35 having a lateral projection 36 thereon. A rocking rod or shaft 87 is mounted transversely of the end of the car adjacent its upper portion and in bearings 38. Each end of this rod 37 has a lever arm 39 and the handle 40,

whereby the rod 37 may be rocked. One end of the rod 37 is provided with an additional laterally extending arm l1, to which the link 85 is connected, which link 35 is in turn connected to the roc 35. As the rod 37 is rocked, the rod 35 is moved vertically in its bearings, thereby operating the valve lever 33, opening the valve to allow the free passage of air through the pipe. To hold the rod in its raised position a latch 43 iis pivoted at il to the car, which latch is thrown toward the car as the arm 3G rides over the same, so that the latch 4:3 will enga underneath the arm 3G, there being an abutment 4G to prevent the latch from tilting downwardly, which will hold the rod 35 in its raised position. A rod i7 mounted in hea rings 48 of the end of the car is provided, and is connected to the latch, so that when it is desired to allow the rod 35 to lower, a pulling action is imparted to the rod 47, thereby disengaging the latch from the arm 3G, and by virtue of the spring 3l the valve in the train pipe automatically closes. A rockingrod i9 is mounted in bearings 50 of the end of the car adjacent the top, and is provided with end handles or arms 51 and a lever 52, which has a rod connection 53 with the coupling pin 5l of the coupler 3. By rocking the rod 4:9 at the same time the valve in the train pipe is allowed to close, the coupling pin may be extracted or removed from the coupler, thereby allowing the cars to be uncoupled, the Lit-shaped members 16 and 20 automatically disconnecting at the same time.

ln Figs. 7 and 8 each train pipe is provided with a by-pass pipe, and one end of each train pipe and its by-pass pipe terminate in male and female air pipe couplers, similar to the parts 17, 22, 29 and 30. The by-pass pipes G5 and GG are provided with valves G7 and GS. However, the arms 17 of cach U-shaped member 16 in Figs. 7 and S, are pivoted at G9 to the parts 70, which are swivcled upon the sections 8 of the train pipe and upon the by-pass pipes. ConnectedV to the arms 17 of each U-shaped member 1G are cables or cords 71, which merge or blend into a single cord 72, which passes over a pulley 7 3. The upper end of each single cord 72 is provided with a ring 74. llfhen the arms or forks 17 (which are hollow) are in horizontal positions foi-'the reception of the arms or forks 22, the ring 74k of each single cord engages the hook 7 5, thereby holdingthe arms or forks 17 in their proper horizontal positions, so that they will receive the arms or members 22 of an adjacent car. lVhen it is desired to dispense with using a passage of air through each by-pass pipe, the valve G7 may be closed by manipulating the handle G71. In this case the ring 7L1 of the upper end of each single cord is disconnected from the hook 7 5, and connected to the hook 77. The pulling action upon the single cord 72 and the cords 71 causes the arms or forks 17 to tilt upwardly upon their pivots out of axial alinement with the arms or forks 22, so that as the air couplers come together the arms 17 will pass over the arms or forks 22, thereby preventing the arms or forks 22 from entering the arms or forks 17. The 'alve GS of the by-pass pipe G5 has its valve stem provided with a lever comprisingl the arms and S1, while the valve 32 diagonally' opposite the valve G8 of the by-pass pipe G5 has its valve stem provided with av lever having the arms 7S and 79. The valve GS of the by-pass pipe GG lhas its stem provided with a single lever or arm S3. The.

stem of the valve diagonally opposite the valve G8 of the lay-pass pipe GG is provided with a single arm or lever S2. The lever having the arm 8O is actuated against the action of the spring Se, one end of which is connected to the arm SO, while its other end is connected to an eye of one of the forks 29. A spring S5 has one end connected to the arm 7S of the lever of one of the valves 32, while the other end of the spring is connected to an eye of one of the forks 29 of an air coupler of an adjacent car. Cables or ropes 8G and 87 are Connected to the lever arms 82 and 83, and are then passed over the pulleys SS, which may be carried by the cars in any suitable manner. Said ropes or cables SG and 87 are in turn connected to the arms 79 and S1. Cables or ropes 91 and 92 pass under the pulleys 93 (which may be carried by the adjacent ends of two box cars in any suitable manner) and are connected to the arms 7 S and 8O of the levers having the arms 79 and 81. The ropes or cables 91 and 92 are in turn connected to the springs 94. suspended from the lower ends of the rods'35 of the adjacent ends of the two cars, and which rods are in turn connected to the respective arms 41 of the rock shafts 37 bv the links 35. lVhen the arms or levers S2 andy 83 are actuated to open their respective valves, the springs 98 and 99 are put under tension. It is to be noted that when rockingthe shafts 37 by moving the handles 10 in opposite directions, the cables or cords 91 and 92 are actuated, thereby oscillating the levers having the arms 78, 79, 80, and 81 against the action of the springs Sfl-A and 85, and owing` to the springs 94 being of greater tension than the springs Sland 875, the valves and (38 (which are provided with the levers having the arms 78, 79, S0, and 81) will be thrown open. Owing to the levers having the arms 7S, 79, SO and 81, being` connected to the levers S2 and S3 by the cords 8G and 87, the pther two diagonally opposite valves 32 and GS are opened at the same time the first valves 32 and GS are opened. These valves are open when the air couplers are connected. When the valves 32 and 68 are actuated-` the levers having the arms 7 8 and S0 contact with abutments 100, to limit the levers in their movements. vWhen the cars are taking a curve, the levers having the arms 7 S and 80 are prevented from being further operated in the direction of the arrow a, that is, when the cars are taking the curve in either direction, in which case the springs 941 will merely stretch. j

One of the main objects in devising a duplicate set of connecting heads for the train pipe, is that should one set of connecting heads become defective or inoperative, or otherwise incapable of proper connections, said defective set of heads, in so far as their use is concerned may be eliminated, for instance, should the connecting heads adjacent the valves 32 become defective, the cables 86 and 87 may be disconnected, and the valve 32 closed, leaving the valve 67 and 68 open, thereby allowing the air pressure in the train pipe to completely pass through the by-pass pipes, and through the opposite set of connecting heads. However, should said opposite connecting` heads adjacent the valves G8 become defective or otherwise incapable of cooperating, the valves 67 may be closed, allowing the valves 32 to remain open, thereby allowing the air pressure in the train pipe to pass directly through the set of connecting heads adjacent the valves 32. Therefore, in either of these cases, it has been found essential and desirable and practical to provide means by which either set of connecting heads may easiljT disconnect, that is, when only one set of connecting heads is employed. For instance, if one set of connecting heads is defective, in so far as perfect cooperation is concerned, it has been found that if both sets of connecting heads are latched-together by the forks or arms 17 and 22, it will be somewhat difficult to disconnect the two sets of connecting heads, that is, if the air pressure is only passing through one set, therefore if the set of connecting heads adjacent the valves 32 is defective or otherwise incapable of coperation, the arms 17 may be raised upwardly out of alinement with the forks or arms 22, by means of the cables 7l, so that the arms 17 will pass over the arms 22. Therefore, in disconnecting the other set of connecting heads, it is easier and only necessaryv to break the latch connection of said other set of connecting heads. In case the connecting heads adjacent the valve 32 are defective or otherwise incapable of cooperation, the arms or forks 17 of the other connecting heads adjacent the valves 68 may be raised out of alinement with the arms 22, so that said arms will not receive the arms 22, in which case as will be observed, it is easier and more practical to only break the connections of one set of arms 17 and 22 of the connecting heads adjacent the valves 32. v l

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed as new and useful is .1. In combination, a coupler, a section of air train pipe carried by the coupler and having a male portion fitting a female portion of a corresponding train pipe connection of an additional car, a Ui-shaped member upon said train pipe section having hollow forks provided on their interiors with proj ections, a male U-shaped member carried by a train pipe section of an adjacent car having forks for mating with the hollow forks of the first U-shaped member and having spring devices provided with bulges to engage said projections.

2. In combination, a coupler, a section of air train pipe carried by the coupler and having a male portion fitting a female portion of a corresponding train pipe connection of an additional car, a U-shaped member upon said train pipe section having hollow forks provided on their interiors with projections, a male U-shaped member carried by a train pipe section of an adjacent car having forks for mating with the hollow forks of the first `Ushaped member and having spring devices provided with bulges to engage said projections, and additional U- shaped members having their forks provided with male and female socket connections.

3. In combination, a pair of swinging air train pine sections of two adjacent cars pro- 100 vided with male and female connections, a pair of male and female U`shaped members having sleeves fitting said train pipe sections j and provided with interlocking connections upon the interior of the female U-shaped 105 member, additional U-shaped members having sleeves fitting said pipe sections and secured thereto and provided with male and female socket connections to reinforce the first yU-shaped members.

4. In combination, an air train pipe having male and female parts adapted to cooperate and fit female and male parts of a train pipe of an adjacent car, a U-shaped member carried upon said' train pipe adja- 115 cent each of said male and female parts and having coperative vinterlocking telescopical connections withV an opposing U-shaped member of an adjacent car, said train pipe having two sets of valves for controlling the 120 air through Veach set of male and female parts, and means operated from the top of the car for opening and closing said valves for cutting the air on and off through the male and female parts.

5. In combination, an air train pipe having male and female parts adapted to cooperate and fit female and male parts of a train pipe of an adjacent car, a `U-shaped member carried upon said train pipe adja- 13o cent each of said male and female parts and having eoperatve nterlocklno teleseopeal Connections with an opposing U-shapecl member of an adjacent Cal', said train pipe having two sets of valves for controlling the air through each set of male and female parts, and means operated from the top of the Cal' for opening and closing said valves for cutting the air on and off through the male and female parte, and means in said train pipe for cutting olf the an1 through one set of male and female parte.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification 1n the presence of two suhserlhmg witnesses.

FREADS WOODS.

lVtneSSes J. lV. LEE,

J. STRAND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patenti. Washington, D. C. 

